Jean grilled Henry on all the details. Henry told her that a masked hero had rescued them and the children. He didn't tell her everything yet—they were in public, with knights milling about, and the last thing he needed was for sensitive information to spread through Mondstadt's rumour mill.
After Jean broke the hug, Henry heard a cough behind him. He turned to find Varka standing just to his right with his arms crossed and a knowing grin on his face.
How long has he been standing there?
"Well, well, well," Varka said teasingly. "I didn't know you two were so close."
Jean's expression shifted, a sharp and dangerous gleam entering her eyes. "Grandmaster," she said sweetly, with an edge to her voice. "Don't you have work to do? There will be extra paperwork waiting for you back at the office."
Varka's mood dimmed immediately. His shoulders sagged, and his grin faded into a grimace. "Extra paperwork? But I just finished—"
"I know, and now I have more work for you," Jean repeated.
Varka opened his mouth, closed it, then wisely decided to change the subject. His eyes landed on the children who had stepped down from the carriage, their faces pale and their bodies trembling slightly in the cool morning air. Varka's expression softened as he walked toward them.
He crouched down, bringing himself to their level, and gently patted all the children on their heads. His voice, usually loud and boisterous, dropped to a gentle tone. "You're safe now. My knights and I will help all of you get back to your homes. And if you don't have a home—"
He paused, his eyes sweeping across their small faces. "The Knights of Favonius have a place for you to live. You can stay there and be part of Mondstadt. You'll have food, shelter, and people who care about you."
The children stared at him, their eyes wide. One of them sniffled, then another, and soon several of them were crying-not from fear, but from relief.
"Thank you," a small voice whispered.
Varka smiled, a moment of genuine warmth crossing his face. He stood and signaled to his knights, who moved forward to gently guide the children away.
Henry watched as the children were escorted through the gates. All of them waved at him, and he raised his hand in return as their small figures disappeared into the city.
The crowd dispersed, and Henry found himself walking beside Jean toward his café. The streets were quiet, the sky still dark but with the early morning blue light beginning to show. Jean was silent for a moment, her expression thoughtful. Then she turned to him, her eyes sharp.
"Alright," she said. "Now tell me everything. I know you didn't tell me everything. And don't leave anything out."
Henry sighed. "I told you. I followed the suspicious-looking masked guy from the party. I saw him heading toward the basement, and I wanted to see what he was doing."
Jean's eyes narrowed. "You followed a stranger to see him go into a basement. Alone."
"Henry," she said, her voice losing its edge. "You could have been killed. Do you understand that? You could have been killed, and no one would have known where you were."
Henry met her gaze. "I know. But I couldn't just let it go. Something felt wrong."
"Something felt wrong," she repeated flatly. "So you decided to investigate alone."
"I didn't plan to get caught."
They stood there for a moment, the silence stretching between them. Then Jean sighed, her grip on his arm loosening. "Be careful from now on, Henry," she said, her voice softer now.
Henry nodded. "I'll try."
Jean studied him for a moment, then nodded, accepting his answer. She resumed walking, and Henry fell into step beside her.
"Do you know who it was?" she asked. "The man in the mask?"
Henry was quiet for a moment. He considered lying, considered deflecting, but Jean deserved the truth. "It was Dottore. The Second of the Eleven Fatui Harbingers."
Jean stopped walking again, her eyes widening. "The Fatui Harbinger? Here? In Mondstadt?"
"He was at the party. He had a lab set up in a factory somewhere in Mondstadt. He was experimenting on those children."
Jean's face paled. Her hand flew to her mouth, and for a moment, she looked like she might be sick. "Those children that were with you in the carriage?" she repeated, barely a whisper.
"Yes, them," Henry confirmed. "They are from all over Teyvat. Mondstadt, Liyue, Sumeru."
Jean took a breath, steadying herself. "And you found this out by following him alone."
"I found out about it after being freed," Henry corrected.
"Henry." Her voice was sharp again, but there was worry beneath the sharpness. "You need to be more careful. Especially from the Fatui Harbingers. The Fatui aren't like ordinary criminals. They're organized. They have resources. If they decide you're a threat—"
"I know," Henry said. "I will be more careful from now on."
"When you disappeared from the party, I didn't know where you'd gone. She broke off, as she realized she was speaking way to intimately.
"I was slightly worried about my friend," she added, her tone suddenly defensive. "That's all."
Henry smiled. "I appreciate that, Jean. Really. Thank you for caring."
Jean didn't respond. She turned her head away, a faint blush creeping up her cheeks.
They reached the café, and Henry pulled out his keys. The door was locked from the inside — Alina must have closed up for the night.
"Take care, Henry," Jean said softly.
"You too, Jean."
Henry watched her go until she was just a silhouette, then unlocked the door and stepped inside.
The café was dark and quiet. Henry made his way upstairs, his footsteps echoing in the empty building. He reached his room and collapsed onto his mattress, the weight of the day pressing down on him.
Henry stared at the ceiling, his wild adventure of the day playing in his mind. His body seemed fine, but his mind felt heavy, weighed down by everything he had seen and learned. His eyes drooped, and sleep claimed him
-
The next morning, Henry came down to the shop. The café already had customers, the familiar hum of conversation filling the air. He didn't see his waiters and realized they must be inside, waiting to take orders to their respective tables.
Henry went to the counter and greeted Anna, exchanging a few words before the morning rush began.
Varka strode in, followed by a small retinue of knights. His presence filled the room, and he looked fascinated, like a child surveying the café.
"Henry!" Varka called out. "I finally get to see this place for myself!"
Henry grinned, stepping out from behind the counter. "Grandmaster Varka. Welcome. I'm honoured you finally made it."
"Honoured?" Varka laughed. "I should be the one honoured. I've heard so much about this place, I had to see it with my own eyes."
He walked toward a large table near the window, his knights following close behind, and settled into a chair, his eyes scanning the room with obvious approval. "The air," he said, breathing deeply. "It's like a cool breeze in the middle of summer. How do you do it?"
"Air conditioning," Henry said. "It's a machine that cools the air."
"A machine," Varka repeated, clearly impressed. "You're full of surprises, aren't you?"
"I try."
Varka's gaze fell on the menu, his eyes scanning the unfamiliar names. His brow furrowed slightly as he read through the list. "Jade Dew? Silk Oolong? What's all this?"
"Teas from Liyue," Henry explained. "And Sumeru. And Inazuma. We have dishes from all over Teyvat."
Varka's eyebrows shot up. "All over Teyvat? You're telling me I can try food from Liyue without leaving Mondstadt?"
"That's exactly what I'm telling you."
Varka's grin widened. "Then I'm going to try everything."
And he did. Over the next hour, Varka worked his way through the menu—the Bao Buns, his eyes widening at the first bite; the Samosa, closing his eyes with a grunt of approval; the Matcha, frowning at the bitter taste before nodding in appreciation.
"This is incredible," Varka said, wiping his mouth with a napkin. "Every single dish is as good as the last. And the tea—" He raised his cup of Jade Dew. "I've never tasted anything like this."
Henry smiled, leaning against the counter. "I'm glad you like it."
"Like it?" Varka laughed. "I love it. I'm going to be a regular, Henry. You've created something special here."
The knights at the table murmured their agreement, their plates empty and their expressions content.
Varka eventually rose, stretching his massive frame. "I'll be back, Henry. Count on it."
"Anytime, Grandmaster."
Varka clapped him friendly on his shoulder, then led his knights out of the café.
Henry watched them go, deciding to step out for some fresh air. The streets of Mondstadt were as celebratory as yesterday, it being the second day of Ludi Harpastum.
His gaze drifted across the street, and he spotted a figure moving quickly through the crowd—a teen with green hair, purple eyes, a haphazardly bandaged face, and an old white shawl wrapped around her body, walking fast as if she didn't want to be discovered.
___
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